Railway signaling apparatus



May a 921. 1.626551 H. S. YOUNG RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 1923 Patented May 3, 1927.

HENRY s. YOUNG, OF'WILKIN'SBURGV, PENNSYLVANIA, Ass cNoR'ro THE union;

'SWISSVALE; PENNSYLVANIA, A conronn rlon" SWITCH 8., SIGNAL COMPANY, OF OF PENNSYLVANIA. x v

RAILWAY' sIGNALmG APPARATUS.

Application filed October 6, 1923; Serial No. 666 948. I

My invention relates to .railway signaling apparatus. i

I Wlll describe one formandarrangement of signaling,- apparatus embodying my n vention, and will then. point out thenovel.

' therefore features thereof in claims. I

In the accompanyingdrawings, Fig.1 is a diagrammatic VIeW' showing onev form of railway signaling apparatus embodying: my invention. *.Fig. 2' is a detail view illustrating,.on a large scale; one-of the signal units shown in. Fig; 1.

Referring to thisdrawing the reference characters; 1 and l de'signatethetrack rails of a railway over which traflicnormally. moves in the; direction of the arrows These. track rails are divided by means of insulateld trac joints :2 into a plurality of successive sections A B, B-C, G-J), etc.

Each-such tracksectionis provided with a track batteryv designated by the reference character E with an exponent-correspond- "ing. to thelocation and connectedacrossthe rails-adjacent the exit end of: the, section.

Interpo'sedbetweem each battery Ev and one rail 1 of; the associated sectionis'a resistance4 one functionof which isto limit the output ofi the battery when its: terminalsiare short circuited by the. wheelssand axles of a passing train. Each. track section: is-. also provided with a: track. relay designated by the; reference character T with an exponent corresponding to the location and connected across the: track rails: adjacent the entrance end of the section. Each track section. is thus provided" with a track circuit comprise ing a battery E a: track rela'yT, aresistor 4: and. therails l and l of' the section in series.

Each section isalso provided with a sigr nal located adjacent the entranceendof the associated section, and designated 'by the reference character S with an exponent-correspondingto the location.

v As hereshown each signal comprises four light units, G,

Y, Y and R, each of which is provided with two electric lamps v and 50 connected in parallelias shown in Fig.2. The unit G,

' M. over line wires 3 and3 is provided. with a green. lens sodisposed that when the associated lamps are enei gizedla beam of green light will be projected from'the signal. Units Y and Y are each provided with a yellow lens adapted, when the-associated lampsare energized, to pro,-. jectfa beam ofyellow light. Unit R isfprovided. with a red lens adapted; when the. J lamps associated'therewith are energizedito project a beam of. red light, The-signals; are capable of. displaying-various; indications. to. the engineman in trainsmoving over the stretch 1 of .track. gov-- 'erned. by these signals depending: upon junit R is energizedthe signal displaysQa stop indication meaning sto.p. Whereverf 1n. the following, specification and. claims IT refer to-a 11Illt.aS:a, red unit, a. yellow nnit:

or a greenqunit as descriptive. ofunit R I Y, or'Y, or G, respectively, it, shall be} understood that the coloFrefers to .the color. of thezassociated lens andv not to; the unit s lfg Associated. with each track relay. T1 is'a threesposition relay which I? will hereinafter, for sake ofconvenience, term; a; line relay and which is here designatedvbythe 1 reference character K; with an" exponent corresponding, to. the location.- Associatedj9 with. each; track relay T. arealso alightout relay and a I pole, changing relay designated 1 by the reference characters it L. and J respec-- tively, with exponents corresponding to the locations. j- 1' Y I 1 F Each sectionis alsowprovided with a line transformerdesignated byi the reference character with an exponent; corresponding to the location and'ha-ving its-primary Wind- 1 ing constantlysupplied with alternating ourrent from a suitable' source, as an alternator Each line relay-K-comprisestwo windings 29'and 30. 'l/Vmding 29 is constantly sup plied with. alternating current by being con- -.nected1 across the secondary; of thekadjacent charge-. of. 6o I 1 line transformer as will be obvious from relay K of this relay are then the. drawin Referring particularly to for example, the winding of this relay-is provided with. a

changing relay J When relay J is deenergized, as shown 1n the drawing, this circuit passes from the secondary of trans- "former F through wires 5 and 51, back point of contact 32 of relay J wire point of contact 37 of track relay T wire K wire 35, front 38, front 36, Winding 30 of relay point of contact 3a of relay T wire 33, back point offcontact 31, and wire 11 back to transformer F Current of what I shall term reverse relative polarity is'then supa winding 30 and contacts 26 and 19. swung to the left. When relay-J is energized the 011761111? for plied'to winding 30 is the same except that this winding is then connected with the secondary of transformer F in the opposite direction so the right. When relay T that current of what'I shall term normal relative polarity is supplied to the windin Contacts 26 and 19 are then swung toward is de energized, the supply of current to winding 30 of relay K -is completely discontinued, and contacts 26 and 19 assume an intermediate position.

Referringparti'cularly now to signal S the red Unit B of this signal is provided with a circuit which passes from the secondary of transformer F through wires 5 and 6,'wind- I ing of'relay L trackrelay T wire 9, red unit R of signal wire 7, back contact 8 of S ,'and wires 10 and 11 back to'transfor mer F A low capacity fuse 6 is inserted in wire 6. This circuit is closed only 'when relay'T is die-energized under which condition the signal S will display a stop indication. The relay LP is so designed that if both-lampsassociated with unit B are lighted, it will be closed, whereas, if either one of these lamps is burned'out, thisrelay will be open. If the lamps in unit R become short-circuited thus extinguishing the lamps,

,the excessive current burns outfuse 6" which allows relay L to become de-energized.

' Assuming now that both lamps of unit R are lighted, relay IP is closed and closes over its front contact, a circuit for unit Y which passes from the secondary of-transformer F through wires 5 and 12, back contact .13 of track relay T wire 14, front contact 15 of relay L wiref16,yellow unit Y of signal S and wires 10 and 11 back to transformer F thus causing signal S to display a permissive indication. It will be clear that with this arrangement if a permissive indication is being displayed and one of the lamps in the red unit R becomes ineffective as by burning out, or by shortcircuit, yellow unit. Y is immediately deenergized. In the absence of this protective feature the greater intensity of the yellow circuit which. is controlled by track relay T and pole [a caution indication.

relay K wires 20 and 21,,yellow unit Y of signal S, and wires 10 andv 11 back to transformer F When this circuit is closed unitY 51s energized and 1f both the lamps associated therewith are lighted, relay L is" energized thereby closing a clrcuit for green unit G and current flows from secondary of transformer F through wires 5 and 12, front contact 13 of. track relay T wires '92 and 3, front contact 21 jof relay L wire 25., reverse contact 26 of line relay K wire 27, unit G of signal S and wires 10 and 11 back to transformer F thus causing signal S to display an alert indication. At the same time current flows through a branch from wire 27 through winding of pole chang mg relay J fland wire 28 back to wire 11 thereby energizing this relay. It is therefore clear'that relay J will be energized only when green unlt G of signal S is energized.

It should be particularly noted that if a signal is displaying an alert indication (see signal S failure of one of the lamps in the yellow unit Y, which might result, in the absence of preventing means, inmistaking the indication for a proceed signal, causes the de-energization of the associatedlight out relay L and hence tie-energizes the asso elated green unit G so that-the signal gives clear that under nopossible circumstances can the failure of a lamp in the present system result in the displaying of a less restrictive signal 1ndicat1on than should be dis played. s V

' The circuit traced above'for yellow unit Y of signal S? isprovided with a branch which passes from wire 17, through back contact 22 of relay J and back to wire 21.

It is clear that the circuit is closed through this branch only when relay T is energized and relay J is de-energized, under which conditions unit Y is energized and the signal displays a caution indication. (See signal S It will, then, be

The green un1t Gr of each' signal is also provided with another clrcuit which, as best shown in connection with signal S passes from the secondary of transformer F through wires 5 and 12, front contact 13 of track relay T wires 22 and 29, normal con tact 26 of line relay K wire 27, unit G of signal S and wires 10 and 11, back to transformer F unit Gr 15 energized and the signal displays When this circuit is closed a proceed indication. It-will be notedthat when unit G ofasi'gnall S is energized'overv this circuit the associated pole changing relayi J is simultaneously energized exactly as explained in relation to, the circuits for the alertindication.

As shown in the drawing the section to the right of point Dis occupied by a train designated by the reference character Z.

Track relay T is therefore 'de;-energized so, that relay [J is likewise de-energi-zed red unit-R-ofsignal: S is lighted through back S causes relay L to become energized thereby closing the circuit for green unit G and relay J both of which elements thereupon becoming energized. Signal S now displays an alert indication. Since relays T and J B are both energized, relay K is energized by current of normal relative polarity and green'nnit G of signal 55"" is energized, thus causing the signal to display a proceed indication. It will be noted that the proceed circuits for green unit G does not include light out relay L and so this relay is de energized.

Although I have herein shown and de scribed only one form and arrangement of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and moditic-ations may be made therein within the scope ofthe appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my 1n- Having thus described I claim is: s

1. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for said section, a line relay for said section responsive to traffic conditions in advance, a signal comprising two light units, means controlled by said track relay and said line relay for energizing one of said units, controlling means in circuit with such unit, and means controlled by said means and said track relay for energizing the second said unit. a

2. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for said section, a line relay for said section responsive to traffic my invention, what conditions in advance, a signal comprising two light units, means controlled by said track relay and said line relay for energizing energized, 'closof signal one of said; units, controlling, ineans in circuit withrsuchunit, andflneansrcontmlled by 1 I In 1 combination, a forward anda; rear vsection of rallway track, a line relay-for said rear section responsiveto traffic conditionsin said forward section, a second relay, a sig Vnal' for said rear section comprising? two units, a circuit including, oneof said units and; said second relay in' parallel, and means: controlled by said line relay andiinea-nsaincluding'said second relay for controlling the? 1 i t I second sa d unit.

4. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for said section, a line relay for said section controlled by traffic conditions in advance, a third relay and a fourth relay for saidsection, a signal comprising two units, an electrical circuit including in parallel a contact of said line re lay and a contact of said fourth relay, a con tact of said track relay the winding of said third relay, and one of said signal units, and a second electrical circuit including in parallel the second unit of said signal and the winding of said fourth relay, 'acontact of said linerelay, a contact of said track relay anda contact of saidthird relay.

5. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for said section, a line relay for said section arranged to be energized in one direction or the other in accord ance with traffic conditions infa dva nce of saidsection, a third relay and afourth relay for said section, a signal comprising a green lightunit and a yellow light unit; an electrical circuit including in parallel a reverse contact of said line relay and a backcon- "tact of said fourth relay, a front contact of said track relay, the Winding of said third relay, and the yellow unit of said signal, and a second electricalcircuit including in winding of said fourth relay, a reverse conof said track relay this circuit being proparallel the green unit of said signal, and the a p vided with a. branch which omitssaid reversecontact on the line relay andsaid front contact on said third relay but includes a normal contact on saidline relay,

6. In combination, a plurality of successive sections of railwaytrack each provided with a signal, a line relay for each said section, a track relay for each said section, a

third relay for each saidsection, an electrical circuit foreach sectlon controlled by associated signal and said third relay in parallel, andmeans controlled by each said thirdrelay and said track relay for supplythe section next in rear. I

7. In combination, a plurality of succes sive sections of railway track each provided the associated track relay and including the ing current to the line relay associated with lay, a line relay, and a third and a fourth relay for each section, means for simulta-- neously energizing said fourth relay and one ofsaid units an electrical circuit for each section controlled by the associated track relay, line relay and fourth relay, and including the second unit of said signal and said third relay in parallel; and means controlled by each said third relay and said track relay for supplying'current to the line relay associated with the section next in rear.

8. In combination, a plurality of succes-- sive sections of railway track each provided with a signal, a track relay, a line'relay and a third relay for each sect-ion, a fourth relay for each section controlled by trafiie conditions invadvance; anelectrical circuit for 7 each section controlled by the associated track relay, line relay and fourth relay; and

means controlled by each said third relay I HENRY s. YOUNG. 

